Bridged by Love (16 page)

In one quick move, he crawled over her body, capturing her mouth and joining their bodies on a firm thrust. Her silken muscles parted for him and clamped down, her orgasm pulling him deep and massaging his length on a tight squeeze that tempted him to spill his seed.

Not yet, not yet.
He rode out her orgasm and then moved. Already loose from her release, she didn’t need him to lead her into their lovemaking. He took control of her pleasure. His pounding drives shook the bed and tore whimpers from her throat with every rough smack of his groin to hers. She accepted his wildness, widening her legs and lifting her bottom to meet his strokes. The position opened her wide, allowing him to reach the end of her on every thrust.

It was good, but not enough to appease him. He sat back and grabbed her calves, lifting them against his chest. She whimpered. The sound stirred his primal instincts. His fangs punched out. He wanted to possess her, own her, claim her. She wasn’t in the right position to bite her, though. Probably the only reason his wolf remained silent. Nic let go of the resentment he felt for the other soul sharing his body and focused on Riley.

She fisted the sheets. “Nic, your eyes.”

No doubt they were glowing. Neither he nor his wolf controlled the reaction. Based on strong emotion, the automatic response was meant to intimidate opposition or attract mates. The stronger the shifter, the deeper the glow. He grinned, letting her see his fangs, but didn’t respond. At the moment, the only use of his strength he cared about was in how he could use it to pleasure Riley.

He wrapped one arm around her calves, holding her legs flush to his chest, and fucked her with quick, full thrusts. With his other hand, he teased her clit, stroking and flicking the bundle of nerves. Her inner muscles tightened. The first wave of her orgasm rolled over his dick. He shortened his strokes, rubbing over the sensitive spot inside her that made her crazed.

She thrashed. Soft whimpers fell from her lips. He thrust deep once more and let go. His dick jerked, spilling his seed, and he kept pumping into her, dragging out her release until he had nothing left to give. He let go of her legs and collapsed before rolling her on top of him and holding her close.

Once his breathing returned to normal, he pressed his lips to hers. “I love you, angel.”

“Love you too, Nic.”

He grinned and held her words close. And if only love was enough, he’d have everything he ever wanted right here in his arms.

Chapter Eighteen

Asleep, Riley reminded Nic of an angel. He let his gaze roam over her body, and his cock thickened. She always affected him the same way. No matter how many times they made love, he wanted more. She’d accept him too. Not once had she ever turned him away.

God, he loved her. He’d been a fool to leave her, but like a true mate, one who was meant to share her soul with him, she forgave him.

Fought for him.

Loved him despite his idiocy.

He brushed a stray lock of hair from her cheek.
She’s my mate in this life and the next, whether my wolf accepts her or not.

Peace settled over him. He was making the right decision in giving his pack to Sean. At least, Nic hoped his friend would accept the role of alpha and go along with the deception Nic and his dad had planned.

For Sean, however, the ruse would be a little shadier. Still, Nic didn’t think Sean would turn his back on the Kagan pack nor did Nic think any of the members would dare challenge Sean. Test him? Well, that was the fate of an alpha. None were exempt from the fights or dominance spats.

It was the integrity of the alpha that determined the fate of those dominants who lost the battles. Nicholas Kagan and every Kagan male before Nic had shouldered the responsibility with ease. They’d guided their pack with a strong yet kind hand. Sean would continue their legacy. Nic was sure of it.

The time had come to set his plan into motion, but the lack of response from his wolf worried him. It had to understand what he intended, yet it made no move to stop him. Did the beast realize the futility in fighting? Or was it waiting for the right opportunity to rise? Nic sighed. The latter made more sense. The closer it got to the peak of the full moon, the more control his wolf held over him. He’d have to make sure he and Riley were far from Hollow’s Grove before nightfall.

He pressed his lips to hers. Not a kiss exactly, but an expression of love by shifter standards. She sighed, and a small smile graced her plump mouth.

He eased off the bed and made his way to the desk in the corner of her room. A sticky pad and pen lay on top. He wrote a quick note telling her he’d be back by noon and posted the message on her alarm clock. For a moment, he hesitated. She’d appreciate knowing where he was going and why, but he couldn’t risk anyone else in the pack accidently learning the truth about his intentions or guessing at it because of Riley’s actions. As much as he hated to admit it, only two people could know he wouldn’t be in the circle for the transfer—his dad and Sean.

At the bedroom door, he glanced over his shoulder. Riley had stretched her arm to where Nic had lain. The sight made the ache in his chest return. How many nights had she reached for him only to find cold sheets?
Probably as many times as I’d reached for her.

Never again. After today, they’d spend every night in each other’s arms.

He closed the door and jogged down the stairs. Another basket of laundry sat in the hallway. He grabbed a pair of sweats, tugged them on and slipped outside.

Fog had crept in overnight. Unease settled over him. He strode to the middle of the front yard and waited for the protectors he’d assigned to Riley to come to him. Minutes passed before two gray wolves approached. Chris shifted and walked the remaining distance to stand in front of him. His partner, John, remained at his side in his animal form.

Nic motioned to the house. “Stay close to Riley.”

John slipped around the back of the house without hesitation, but Chris inhaled deeply. His features tightened, and his hands clenched at his sides. Nic sighed. The look of disapproval on Chris’s face no doubt came from the scent of sex clinging to Nic. Although committed to John, Chris cared for Riley, which was why Nic had chosen the male to guard her.

Nic took a step forward and lowered his voice. “Trust me, and protect the woman I love until I return.”

Another nod, and Chris shifted. Nic waited until Chris disappeared, lost in the mist surrounding the house, before Nic slipped into the woods. The pull of the moon tempted him to shift. He pushed the urge back and ran. On bare feet, he made his way through the brush and natural debris. The bite of sharp stones and squish of the wet ground didn’t slow him. He pushed his body harder. The sooner he could complete his tasks, the sooner he’d return to Riley.

His house came into view. Hannah sat on the front porch, back against the banister at the top of the steps and feet propped on the opposite column. She twirled a lock of her hair but didn’t face him. “You were at Riley’s place?”

“That’s none of your business, little sister.”

“Noted.” She tilted her head and studied him through slitted eyes. “Maria called me.”

“And?”

“She told me the happy news.” He held her challenging stare. After a long moment, she glanced away. “I will arrange for her to move into a house at the end of our territory, farthest from the Tanner pack.”

It’d be a good plan if he was going to follow through with the mating. The truth sat on the tip of his tongue, but he wouldn’t tell Hannah something he’d withheld from Riley. Both women important to him would find out his intentions soon enough. He climbed the steps and hopped over Hannah, not bothering to respond, but paused at the door. The stench of alcohol hung heavy in the air. He glanced over his shoulder. Bottles of beer lined the railing behind her.

He motioned to the half-dozen empties. “Your date with Ethan didn’t end well?”

She shrugged. “He’s twice my age. He considers me a baby and vows not to fuck me until I mature.”

“But you’re seeing to his needs, aren’t you?”

She grabbed a new bottle from the cooler at her feet and twisted the cap. “Don’t go all big brother on me, Nic.” She tossed the top into the nearby garbage can. “You lost the right to fight for me when you walked away. I know what I’m doing, and getting him hooked on me is part of it.”

“What’s the other part?”

“Triggering his instincts. What else?”

“You’re going to make him jealous.”

She cocked her head. A wicked grin spread over her face. “More than that. I’m going to make him fight for me and claim me the old-fashioned way.”

His stomach dropped. “A mating run? You’re going to offer yourself up as a damn trophy?” He crouched and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. “What the hell are you thinking? Any male can claim. Fucking rape you.”

She chuckled. “It won’t come to that. Ethan will catch me. Besides, I’m stronger than I look. Only a dominant has any hope of winning me.”

He dropped his hands. The stubborn expression she wore stopped his argument. He wouldn’t give up on convincing her of the stupidity of her choice, but it’d have to happen over the phone. The clock was ticking for him.

“One question.” He raised his gaze to hers. “Does he love you?”

“He will.”

He sighed and stood. “Same time as you fall in love with him, right?”

She stared at him. No emotion showed on her face. She’d developed the mask of an alpha. She’d make a good mate to one. He only hated her method and her reasoning. Something told him it wasn’t one he’d approve of, but as she said, he’d lost the right to judge her.

“I hope whatever it is you’re doing this for is worth it.”

“It is, Nic. It is.”

He nodded, then turned his back on her and slipped inside the house. Memories assaulted him. Not happy ones, but the crippling reminders of the sins he’d committed the day before. Riley’s hurt expression choked him, but so too did Maria’s impassionate one. Riley, he’d spend his life proving to her he loved her.

Maria? He shouldn’t feel anything for her, but he did. He pitied her for whatever drove her to accept the sham of a mating he’d offered. Guilt also plagued him over the shame she’d no doubt feel when she showed up at the circle tonight only to learn he’d left. He pushed it aside. She’d be more humiliated living in a house at the edge of his pack lands with orders not to come anywhere near him. And for what pushed her to accept a male who’d never love her? It wasn’t his fight. He only hoped she found someone willing to shoulder it with her.

Showered and dressed, he stepped back onto the porch. Hannah no longer sat with empty bottles strewn about. He hesitated for a moment. The need to check on her and make sure she was safe beat at him, but the lightening sky pushed the urge aside. His time was running out. He needed off of his pack lands and away from the fate he’d never wanted before his destiny caught up with him.

The drive to Riley’s Sanctuary took longer than he’d expected. The heavy rains had turned the dirt and stone roads leading from his remote house into a mess of mud and deep puddles. If he could guarantee his wolf wouldn’t try to take over, he could’ve shifted. The damn silence from his primal half stopped him.

His wolf might share his body and be joined to his soul, but he didn’t trust him. The animal had its own agenda, one that had nothing to do with love. Ultimately, the man was in charge as God intended. It didn’t mean he’d have an easy time asserting his dictate or ever receive full backing from the beast. He wouldn’t be the first shifter who lived in discontent with the wolf he’d been born with. He doubted he’d be the last either. As long as he had Riley in his life, he didn’t care.

He floored the gas pedal once he reached the paved road. Riley’s Sanctuary came into view. The single car parked on the side of the clinic belonged to one of the other nurses. He’d met her a couple of times when he’d stopped by to visit his dad over the past week, but he’d never asked her name. He hadn’t wanted to associate with anyone while he’d struggled with his fate.

He unlocked the door and made his way across the darkened lobby of the animal hospital to the door leading to the basement. In the hallway outside his dad’s room, he paused to look at the painting of him receiving the spirit of the pack. Anger rushed up. He had no doubt he was making the right choice, but his entire life he’d anticipated the transfer. Maybe not enthusiastically, but he’d felt honored to be born a Kagan. No longer. He wasn’t strong enough. And dammit, for a dominant, that stung.

A growl escaped. The sound of a door opening reached his ears. He didn’t bother turning. The female’s scent announced her presence. The nurse was nearing her fertile cycle. Mated, her presence didn’t torment him. He ignored her, hoping she’d take the hint and leave. The woman had other ideas. She stepped next to him.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

He grunted in answer.

“Riley obsessed for weeks over this particular painting. She wanted it to be perfect.”

He whipped his head to stare at the nurse. “Riley painted that?” He motioned toward the artwork.

She nodded. “Riley’s made many pieces over the past few years, but that’s her best work.”

He glanced from the paintings lining the hall to the one in front of him. “It’s amazing.”

“Some human she’d dated taught her. She picked the hobby up easily, not surprising, really. Our Riley is an amazing person.”

He waited for jealousy to grip him as it had before when he thought of Riley with other males. The emotion didn’t overpower him, however. He couldn’t say he liked the idea of what she’d done while he was gone, but he couldn’t judge her, not when he’d done the same. They’d found their way back to each other. That was all that mattered.

“Yes, she’s an angel.”
My angel.

He turned his back on the woman and slipped inside his dad’s room. Nicholas Kagan, the alpha of the Kagan pack, didn’t wake. He lay under a thin blanket, tubes running from his arms and monitors beeping behind him. Thinner with lines on his face and bags under his eyes, he’d aged severely over the past few days. Nic knew it was common for shifters in his dad’s situation. It didn’t make seeing the evidence of his disintegrating body and soul any more bearable.

Nic’s wolf whined, the first peep he’d heard from the beast since the night before. He used a metaphysical hand and stroked the animal. It was the most comfort he could offer. They both understood what the deterioration of his dad’s condition meant—either he’d stopped fighting to stay alive or the infection had done it for him. Either way, the male who’d helped create him and guided the Kagan pack through a trip to the new world, wars and unbelievable advances in technology would soon die.

Today would be the last they spoke.

Nic squeezed his eyes shut. They burned. He waited a moment for the sensation to pass, knowing his dad wouldn’t want to see tears pricking his son’s eyes, especially with the news he’d come to deliver.

He dragged a chair over to the bed and straddled it. “Dad?”

Hazel eyes focused on him after several seconds of blinking. “Is it time for the transfer?”

Nic shook his head. “No. It’s just after dawn. I needed to speak with you, though.”

“About what?”

Nic held his dad’s gaze and told him the truth he should’ve admitted to years ago. “I love Riley.” He waited for a reaction. Got none. He cleared his throat. “And four years ago, I tried mating her.”

“Your wolf stopped you.” No condemnation. No shock.

Nic nodded. “Yes, and I left knowing I wouldn’t have been able to stay away.”

“Or stop yourself from trying to mate her again and again, hoping to convince your wolf she was worth a piece of your soul.”

Nic leaned forward. “You knew?”

“I suspected but never wanted to learn you’d taken the same path I had.” His dad grabbed Nic’s hand in a surprisingly strong grip. “You need to send Riley away. She can’t be on our pack lands tomorrow. She’ll die. Don’t believe what your mate tells you. She might say she’s okay with you keeping a lover, but she won’t be able to help herself. It’s all about instincts, you understand?”

Nic stared at his dad and saw the truth written on his anguished face, but had to be sure. “Mom killed your true mate, didn’t she?”

“Yes, and I despised her for it. She promised me a lifetime with Agatha, only your
mother
deemed my true mate should only live a night.” His dad curled his hands into fists. “I understood she couldn’t control her wolf, but it didn’t make it right, nor did I ever forgive her for it.”